SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR
HENRY MCMASTER VISITS LIMESTONE
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (left) stands with Limestone President
Dr. Darrell Parker as he displays the Honorary Doctoral Degree he received while delivering
the Commencement remarks during Limestone’s May 10, 2019, graduation ceremonies.

IT’S A FRIDAY TRADITION
Limestone College students have embraced the tradition of “Be Bold. Be Blue.” that
encourages them to wear their school colors each Friday.

ON THE COVER
Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker props up on a classic
1966 Mustang on the front campus to symbolize the “Drive To
University” initiative. PHOTO BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

SUMMER

in this
Limestone Welcomes Twenty-Second President,
Dr. Darrell F. Parker ― After an extensive national
search that stretched over seven months, Dr. Darrell
Franklin Parker was introduced on December 6, 2017,
as the 22nd President of Limestone College.
Meet Limestone’s First Lady, Mrs. Kathy G. Parker ―
Introducing Limestone’s First Lady, Full-Time Volunteer,
and Number One Fan.
COVER STORY: Drive To University ―The current
“Drive To University” initiative will culminate with a
name change to Limestone University in the fall of 2020,
which coincides with the institution’s 175th anniversary.
Twenty-Three Minutes ― Late last year, that was the
amount of time that separated life from death for
Limestone alumna Haley Case.
For The Love Of Limestone ―
Alumna Jeriesha Epps tells the
story that took her from the
military, to single mother, to Limestone graduate, to thriving staff
member of the Evening Program
staff in Columbia.
A Unique Bond ―
It didn’t take long for Limestone
Trustee Randall Richardson and
President Dr. Darrell Parker to
discover that they shared similar backgrounds while
growing up in Western North Carolina.
Limestone College, 1115 College Drive, Gaffney, SC 29340 | 864.488.4603 | Postage Paid, Gaffney, SC, 29340 | Summer Edition 2019

INTRODUCING LIMESTONE
TODAY DIGITAL
Limestone is pleased to announce a
step in the evolution of Limestone
Today magazine. In the next few
months, you can find the digital
magazine on our website, making
it easier for you to learn of student,
faculty, and alumni accomplishments
on your computer or mobile devices.

I
“ can think of no greater privilege than to lead
this community of outstanding faculty, students, and staff. ”
fter an extensive national search that stretched over seven months, Dr. Darrell Franklin Parker was introduced
on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, as the 22nd President of Limestone College.
Parker officially took office Wednesday, January 3, 2018.
Prior to his arrival at Limestone, the Buncombe County native had served since 2012 as the Dean and Professor of
Economics for the College of Business at Western Carolina University. WCU is a Regional Public Comprehensive
University in the University of North Carolina System that enrolls approximately 11,000 students.
Parker received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics at the University of
North Carolina Asheville in 1980 and then earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in
Economics from Purdue University, in 1981 and 1984, respectively.
From 2006-2012, Parker served as the Dean and Professor of Economics for the
Johnson College of Business and Economics at the University of South Carolina
Upstate in Spartanburg.
Dr. Parker was at Georgia Southern University from 2001-2006 where he served
numerous roles, including Professor of Economics, Director of the Center for
Economic Education, Acting Associate Dean, and Director of the School of
Economic Development in the College of Business Administration.
He previously was a professor of economics at Winthrop University, where he was
named Winthrop University Distinguished Professor in 1999; awarded the First
Union Excellence in Teaching prize in 1991; and received the 1988-89 Phi Kappa
Phi award for Excellence in Teaching.
From 1990 until 2001, Parker served
as Director of the Winthrop Economic
Development Center, which he founded.
Following the retirement announcement of Dr. Walt
Griffin, the comprehensive national search for Limestone’s
next President started in April of 2017 with the formation of
a 13-member Presidential Search Committee, led by Board
of Trustees Vice-Chairman David Riggins. The full Board of
Trustees voted for Parker as Limestone’s next President during
a called meeting in December of the same year.
“We are excited about the future of Limestone College and the
leadership that Dr. Parker will bring for the benefit of our
students and the communities of Gaffney and Cherokee
County,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Hines
shortly after Parker was announced as President.
In front of students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders,
delegates from multiple higher education institutions, family,
and friends, Parker was officially installed as President during
an Inauguration ceremony held inside Fullerton Auditorium
on Friday, September 28, 2018.
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M E E T L I M E S TO N E ’ S F I R S T L A DY,

BY CHARLES WYATT

Mrs. Kathy G. Parker
wo for one, and number one fan!
That’s precisely what Limestone received when Dr.
Darrell Parker was named as its 22nd President in
December of 2017, and his wife, Kathy, became the
College’s First Lady.
One of nine children and a native of nearby York
County, the former Kathy Griffin had no trouble
acclimating herself to Gaffney, Cherokee County,
and Limestone’s charming campus.
Keeping pace with her husband, however, has
proved a little more challenging. But she has
enjoyed every second of it.
“It’s really been a whirlwind of events, just one thing after another,” she said of the
couple’s time so far at Limestone. “We have been moving at a very hectic pace, but of
course, that’s the way we like it. With Darrell’s high energy and enthusiasm,
sometimes I have trouble keeping up. But it’s fun. We’re having a ball.”
Regardless of the task, the First Lady said she will continue to be more than ready to
lend a hand at Limestone, acting as a liaison, working with nonprofit organizations,
helping with College initiatives, attending campus and local events, traveling with
her husband, and supporting his work at off-campus events and fundraising
meetings.
“I see myself as being like a full-time volunteer at the College,” she explained, as she
stood near the front steps of Winnie Davis Hall of History and looked out over one
of the most historic campuses in the state. “You could even call it an ambassador of
sorts for Limestone. I will do whatever I need to do to help promote Limestone and
help the students – because it really is all about the students.”
It was his wife, the President will quickly tell anyone who asks, that brought the
Limestone job opening to his attention.
“I was absolutely thrilled when Darrell got the call to become the President here,”
she said, noting that one of her sisters operated a business in Gaffney for a number of
years. “It’s like coming home for me. Everyone has been so extremely welcoming and
kind. It is an honor to serve this wonderful place in any way possible.”
“I fell in love with Limestone the moment I visited,” she added. “It has a genuine
family atmosphere that is nurturing and caring. It felt like home from the very
beginning.”
Kathy grew up attending Enon Baptist Church in Smyrna and she is a graduate of
Hickory Grove High School. Kathy is a member of the Rotary Club of Blacksburg.
She is also a charter member of the new Cherokee County United Lions Club that
was formed earlier this year.
A first generation college student, Kathy attended Winthrop University as an
undergraduate. She later returned to Winthrop and earned an Executive Master’s
in Business Administration (EMBA). She has worked in real estate and banking in
Rock Hill and Charlotte.
“Kathy has been a passionate supporter of student success, and she has been an
enthusiastic promoter of the College from day one,” Dr. Parker said of his wife.
“There’s no doubt to me that she’s our number one fan. We are both excited about
this journey we are taking together at Limestone.” ■
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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

The event was attended by delegates
from well over 20 colleges and
universities across the country. During
the ceremony, Hines presented Parker
with the Medallion of Office, which is
reserved for wear as part of the
President’s academic regalia. Limestone’s new First Lady, Kathy Parker,
was also introduced at the Inauguration.
Limestone Board of Trustee member
Tommy Windsor brought greetings on
behalf of Governor Henry McMaster
and the state of South Carolina. “Dr.
Parker, it is my great honor to
congratulate you on your inauguration
as the 22nd President of Limestone
College,” Windsor read from a letter
written by the Governor. Windsor is a
member of the Governor’s staff. “I regret
that I am not there to personally
congratulate you as you embark on this
new journey. However, I am confident
that you will be an excellent steward of
this institution, and a leader and mentor
for its students. As President, one of
your duties is to preserve and improve
upon Limestone College’s great legacy.
Limestone is one of our state’s oldest
colleges, and serves as a pillar of South
Carolina’s educational community.
Limestone was the first women’s college
in South Carolina, and one of the first
in the United States. Its students enjoy
the inheritance of a rich and storied
history.”
Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly also
brought greetings from the City and
Cherokee County. “Limestone College
is an integral part of this area, and our
relationship dates back for generations,”
Jolly said. “The College brings a
youthful energy to Gaffney and to
Cherokee County. With open arms, we
welcome students from this state, our
nation, and across the world. Limestone
– with its diverse student population,
concerts, theater, art, and lectures –
creates a more vibrant, international
culture in our community. The College
also has a tremendously positive impact
on our local economy.” ■

GROUNDBREAKING FOR STUDENT CENTER, LIBRARY
EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE FALL 2019
he paperwork has been signed, the
final plans are being developed, and
the ceremonial shovels are expected to
break ground early during the upcoming
fall semester.
Limestone College’s Board of Trustees
voted unanimously last year to accept the
terms of a United States Department of
Agriculture Rural Development program loan not to exceed
$34.5 million.
The College will use a portion of the loan proceeds to construct a
new $18 million building on campus that will be home to both a
library and student center.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the 65,000-square-foot facility
will take place in the coming months, with an anticipated
completion in late 2020 when the institution’s name will change
to Limestone University. The project’s conclusion will also
coincide with Limestone’s 175th anniversary.
As part of an overall $42.5 million project, the USDA loan has
allowed Limestone to purchase Brown Residence Hall that was
constructed through a partnership with a benefactor and private
developer, and refinance existing debt. As a term of the USDA
loan, the College has obtained a separate $3.5 million guaranteed
loan from a local bank. In addition, Limestone is contributing
$4.5 million toward the project from funds raised as part of its
most recent capital campaign. That contribution will be used as
the project’s reserve account. A portion of the funds raised from
the capital campaign were used to developed the plans for the
new library and student center.
The USDA loan will be repaid over a period not to exceed 40
years, and College officials have indicated that the payments will
be comparable to the school’s current debt service payments.
“The new library and student center will be the academic and
social hub of our campus. It will also be a major recruiting and

retention tool,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker.
“This will be a game-changer for Limestone.”
By purchasing Brown Residence Hall, the College will no longer
be making yearly payments on the building, and at the same
time, it will now become a revenue source as fees paid by
students will go into Limestone’s general fund instead of being
used for debt service on the dorm.
The new student center will be on the first floor of the new
building that will be constructed in an area between and behind
Montgomery Hall and the Carroll Fine Arts Building. It will
include a commons area, a public art gallery, community
meeting space, and an additional student dining area. Such
facilities, which are now lacking, are needed for Limestone to
remain healthy by attracting new students and retaining current
students, Parker noted.
The state-of-the art library portion will be located on the second
and third floors. The library plans include advanced computer
and audiovisual technology, a writing and math center, reading
area, classrooms, and student work areas. The current A.J.
Eastwood Library, which opened in the 1960s, will be
re-purposed for other needs of the College.
“Limestone is an integral part of the City of Gaffney and
Cherokee County, and that will become even more so when the
new library opens because it will be an asset to the community as well,” Parker explained. “Limestone’s success will be the
community’s success as these new projects enable us to grow our
enrollment and our local footprint. The loan benefits will allow
Limestone to better serve the community with its diverse student
population, concerts, theater, art, and lectures that create a more
vibrant, international culture in our community.” ■

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5

LIMESTONE COLLEGE
DEDICATES MULTIPLE
NEW ADDITIONS TO
GROWING CAMPUS
imestone College’s event calendar was full this past spring
as three separate public ceremonies were held to dedicate
new additions and enhancements to the historic campus.
The College celebrated the official opening of the Cunning
Victory Bell Tower on April 14, Shannon Hamrick Park on
April 18, and the Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex on June 6.
CUNNING VICTORY BELL TOWER
Named in memory of Barbara Cunning by her husband Dr.
Charles Cunning, the Victory Bell Tower overlooks the Limestone Quarry and is situated between the College’s athletic and
academic facilities. Once work on the Prevatte complex is completed, a campus connector walkway will link the tower to both
the upper and lower sections of campus.
The Bell Tower announces to the campus each time a Saints
athletic team posts a victory at home or away by playing the
“Blue and Gold” fight song. One of the key features of the
structure is the bell inside, which hung from the top of the
Curtis Administration Building for several decades until it was
removed in 1998.
SHANNON HAMRICK PARK
Shannon Hamrick Park was made possible by a gift from Barry
and Judy Hamrick in memory of their late son. The project
surrounds the Founders FCU Stadium entrance and has transformed the baseball complex into an attractive park setting.
The walkway from the Cunning Victory Bell Tower leads into
the Shannon Hamrick Park where students and visitors can
enjoy an attractive flower garden and fountain. As a part of the
project, the areas along the back and sides of the baseball grandstands have a new brick façade and signage. A raised patio area
along the third base side of the field offers a new seating area for
baseball spectators. In addition, new restroom facilities have been
constructed.
BOB PREVATTE ATHLETIC COMPLEX
The dedication of the Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex was highlighted by the unveiling of the Prevatte statue near the football
practice facility.
The legacy of the legendary Gaffney High School coach and
educator has a permanent home at Limestone thanks to a $4.1
million gift from the foundation of Jerry Richardson. Prevatte
was Richardson’s high school football coach in Fayetteville,
North Carolina. and the two have remained life-long friends.
In addition to new entrances and signage, the Prevatte Complex
has provided aesthetic enhancements and many new elements to
the campus. Read more details about the complex at
www.limestone.edu/prevatte. ■
6

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

LIMESTONE.EDU

7

PHOTO BY APRIL YEAR

GIN BARNHILL

8

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

imestone’s “Drive To University” actually revved
its engine for the first time on Tuesday, December
5, 2017, all the way in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Just over four months later, at Parker’s recommendation, the Board of
Trustees voted unanimously for Limestone to move toward university status
by the fall term of 2020.

That is the date and place that Dr. Darrell Parker
received a phone call that changed his life and altered
the course of Limestone College history. Moments
after he was handed the institution’s keys, he raised
the hood and started tinkering with the mechanics of
the classic 1845 model. After doing some fine tuning,
he’s now ready to put the pedal to the metal and move
Limestone forward.

“It was really an exciting time waiting for the phone call because I knew the
Board was meeting at 2:30 on Tuesday,” Parker said as he reflected on the
day he embraced this new challenge. “I realized that the phone number that
came in would tell me who was calling. If I got the job, I would most likely
be seeing the phone number of David Riggins, the Vice-Chairman of the
Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. If I
had gotten a phone call from the search consultant, it would be letting me
know that it had gone the other way.

Parker had been serving as the Dean and Professor
of Economics for the College of Business at Western
Carolina University when he became one of the three
final candidates to become Limestone’s 22nd
President.
Almost exactly 24 hours after accepting the offer,
Parker and his wife, Kathy, walked into Limestone’s
Stephenson Dining Hall to be introduced to faculty,
staff, alumni, and the community.
President Dr. Darrell
Parker is leading the
way in fine-tuning
Limestone for its “Drive
to University” status in
the fall of 2020.

“I am forever grateful that it was David on the other end of the line when
the call came in,” he continued. “Because Kathy knew it was time for the
call, she was actually sitting in the parking lot outside my building waiting
to hear from me. While I was on the phone with David talking about it,
I was getting texts from Kathy wondering why I had not called to let her
know anything. It took a little while before I was finally able to say to her,
‘I’m on my way out the door, and tomorrow we have to be at Limestone for
the press conference.’”
A native of Buncombe County, Parker grew up in Weaverville, North
Carolina and graduated from North Buncombe High School. He received
his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics at the University of
North Carolina Asheville before going on to earn his master’s and doctoral
degrees in Economics from Purdue University.
Before being chosen to lead Limestone, Parker had been no stranger to the
Upstate area of South Carolina. He served for six years as the Dean and
Professor of Economics for the Johnson College of Business and Economics at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg.
“From the beginning, we were confident we would find a motivated,
enthusiastic leader to build upon Limestone’s legacy,” Riggins said. “The
committee and this College was seeking a President who could build upon
past achievements and lead us to an even brighter future. We knew we had
found that person in Darrell Parker. Since the day that he and I talked on
the phone and he accepted our offer, he hasn’t slowed down for one second.
It’s an exciting time for Limestone right now, and the best is yet to come.”
Shortly after taking the helm, Parker established several faculty and
staff led task forces to study various aspects of the
College. The Marketing & Enrollment Task
Force, and others, suggested the change from
college to university. That recommendation,
along with other research on the matter that
was previously provided by Board member
Roy Mathis, was shared in April of 2018
with the Instruction, Academic Policy,
and Enrollment Services Committee of
the Board of Trustees, which unanimously
agreed to endorse the idea and present it to the
full board later that month.
Because it offers both undergraduate and graduate
programs, Limestone was well positioned to change its
status from a college to a university.
“It more accurately reflects who we are, affirms our strategic
direction, and positions us for long-term success,” Parker explained
about the name change. “Our move to a university will align our
name with our academic offerings and enable us to attract and
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9

PHOTO BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

recruit more students. It also reflects
the success the school has had expanding graduate programs and its plans to
develop new programs in the coming
years. Being a university speaks of the
breadth and depth of learning already
happening for both undergraduate and
graduate students, and of the direction
charted by Limestone’s strategic plan.
“We’re enthusiastic about the ‘Drive
To University’ taking place as we move
toward 2020, which will coincide
with Limestone’s 175th anniversary,”
Parker added. “A lot of momentum is
building at Limestone and we believe
our change to a university will be one
of the driving forces to our continued
growth.”
10

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

The name change will also create the
opportunity to update and improve
Limestone’s branding, Parker said. A
new university logo is now being
developed and other rebranding efforts
are currently underway and will be
unveiled in the months ahead.
“If you look at where we’re going in
terms of the future of Limestone as
we move from a college to Limestone
University, there are a number of key
elements making that happen,” he
explained. “One is our focus on
high-impact learning practices, and
this is where we expand things like the
Global Experience and undergraduate
research opportunities. Another piece
of the puzzle is making sure that we
build up our Honors Program, and

we are doing that. Limestone should be
known for the Honors Program as much
as any of our tremendously successful athletic teams that make us proud. We also
want to provide real access to Limestone.
We are focusing on affordability, and we
particularly want those who are in
Cherokee County and surrounding
communities to know that Limestone is
an affordable option for them. The other
things you will see as we move toward
Limestone University are the improvements to the campus itself that are going
on now or coming in the near future.
“Students who want to study in a
faith-based environment should really be
open to the notion that Limestone’s here
for them, and we’ve got to make sure that
we have the scholarship support ready for

them,” he added. “We are certainly taking
steps in the right direction to make that a
reality.”

so extremely hard, and it’s evident that
they are proud to be a part of how
Limestone’s next chapter will be written.”

Aside from rolling up his sleeves to help
lead Limestone into a bigger and brighter future, Parker has enjoyed immersing
himself in the culture of a small, liberal
arts institution.

Over the next several pages, this
publication of Limestone Today will
highlight the significant strides that
Limestone has taken over the past several
months as part of its “Drive To
University.” ■

“Clearly the best thing about Limestone
during the time that Kathy and I have
been here is the welcoming atmosphere
and the interaction with the people,” he
said. “With the students, I have really
enjoyed the times in the dining hall or
across campus where I have the chance
to talk to them and hear how they are
performing in their classes and how their
teams, programs, or organizations are
doing. The faculty and staff have worked

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11

LIMESTONE OFFERING “GLOBAL EXPERIENCE”
FOR STUDENTS
world of possibilities now awaits Limestone College students through its new Global Experience program.
Limestone officials have unveiled plans for a new “Global
Experience” initiative that will be sending undergraduate Day
Campus students to some of the most iconic locations in
the world, starting in the spring of 2020.
An “Explore Italy” trip is being planned for May 5-15, 2020,
while a “Victory In Europe” journey is being scheduled for May
8-19, 2020.
The costs for one trip during a student’s time at Limestone will
be covered through tuition. To qualify, students must have
completed English 102 or 103, and must be in good
standing academically, financially, and with the Honor
Code. Transfer students must also have completed 16
credit hours at Limestone. A second travel opportunity for
each student will be available, with the out-of-pocket costs
determined by the particular destination.
Each “Global Experience” will be designed with a specific
academic focus and will be chaperoned and taught by Limestone
professors.
“These exciting trips will offer Limestone students the
opportunity to explore business, commerce, education, and
culture in some of the most picturesque locations in the world,”
said College President Dr. Darrell Parker. “Study abroad opportunities are integral to students as they prepare to compete in an
increasingly globalized workforce. This new program will become
a key part of teaching students to be engaged global citizens, to
be adept at cultural competency, and to be better prepared for the
professional and personal challenges of the 21st century.”
The first two trips are taking place in the spring of 2020, and
from that point forward it is anticipated that up to four trips will
be scheduled each academic year. Students wishing to travel will
register for a three-credit hour elective class in a particular
discipline, and the associated trip will typically last 7-10 days.
Flights, ground transportation, lodging, meals, and travel healthcare insurance will be covered by Limestone. Students will pay
for any necessary passport and visa costs, and will be responsible
for expenditures outside of the items that are included as a part
of the program.
“Global programs like this can help students learn new
languages, learn different business and cultural customs, and even
help jump start a career in international relations, international
business, healthcare, etc.,” said Dr. Michael Scharff, the Chair of
Limestone’s Department of Business and Economics who is
assisting with the organization of the travel series. “We expect
our returning and new students will be very enthusiastic about
this wonderful new opportunity that Limestone is providing.” ■

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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

E

G

9

DIAMOND RESORT PARTNERSHIP WITH LIMESTONE
OFF TO A GREAT START
sea of blue and gold has invaded Orlando this summer thanks to a partnership
between Limestone College and Diamond Resorts.
Thirteen Limestone students are participating this summer in an internship program
with Diamond Resorts – a global leader in the hospitality, vacation ownership, and
entertainment industries.
The program, which is open to all juniors and seniors, offers Limestone students the
opportunity to get on-the-job training via semester-long internships.
“As a graduate of Limestone College, this program is very dear to my heart,” said
Mike Flaskey, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts. “I look back and think
about how blessed I was to have the opportunity to attend a beautiful school with
great professors, and how all of that shaped who I am today. What I learned in the
classroom and on the athletic field playing baseball for Limestone, I apply every day
in my current role as Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts. My colleagues
and I are thrilled to be able to engage with Limestone students on this important level.”
To date, 20 students have been selected to participate in the internship program, with 13 currently with the Diamond Resorts team for the summer and
seven who will intern during the upcoming fall semester. The interns will gain experience in a number of different areas, such as quality assurance, sales, human resources, and global support, among others.
Successful completion of the internship will not only earn students a full semester’s
worth of credits, they will also be guaranteed a position with Diamond Resorts after
graduation.
“The partnership between Limestone and Diamond Resorts offers benefits to both
organizations with the focus on providing students with a unique learning experience,” said Dr. Paul LeFrancois, Chair of the Division of Business and Professional
Studies. “That experience will enable Limestone student interns to apply the concepts they have learned in the classroom, work directly with professionals in their
fields of study, and have a job offer upon graduation.” ■

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NEW SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED AS TRIBUTE TO “DR. TOM” THOMSON
beloved History professor is being recognized through a
new Honors Program Scholarship recently established at
Limestone College.
Limestone officials have announced the creation of the “Dr.
Tom” Honors Program Scholarship. Thomson was the Honors
Program founder who served at Limestone full-time from 1972
until 2014.

“Certain professors have personified Limestone College
throughout its long history,” noted current History Professor and
Honors Program Director Dr. Jonathan Sarnoff. “Dr. Montague
McMillan was that professor in the mid-20th century. From
1972 until 2014, Dr. Thomson fulfilled that role. It is therefore
fitting that this scholarship be named for him. From the time
the Honors Program was founded at Limestone in the 1980s,
‘Dr. Tom’ spent tireless hours building it up. Recipients of this
scholarship will be worthy of his legacy.”
Dr. Thomson is now a Professor of History Emeritus at
Limestone.
Proceeds from the new scholarship will be awarded competitively
to one or more incoming Honors Program freshmen who have
a minimum SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of at least 25,
and a minimum 3.5 (out of 4.0) high school grade point average. The scholarship is renewable annually, provided the student
or students are in good standing at the College and within the
Honors Program.
Those interested in contributing to the “Dr. Tom” Honors
Program Scholarship are encouraged to visit
www.limestone.edu/donate-now.

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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Under Dr. Thomson’s guidance, Limestone’s Honors Program
was established in the fall of 1983 in order to create a
challenging academic environment for Day Campus gifted
and special ability students. The Honors Program now accepts
approximately 30 new students per year. Criteria used for
selection include SAT and ACT scores, rank in class, the
nature of courses taken in high school, and grade-point
average.
Limestone’s Honors Program provides an advanced
opportunity for students from all major fields to deepen their
intellectual study, leadership, and service. It is designed to build
a foundation for personal and professional growth and is
excellent preparation to gain entrance into the nation’s top
graduate programs.
“Our Honors Program grants our high-achieving students
with additional opportunities to explore their true potential
and to enhance their experience at Limestone,” said the
College’s President Dr. Darrell Parker. “I applaud our faculty
for taking the initiative to lead this effort to recognize
someone as admirable as Dr. Thomson in this way. The
generous gifts from our faculty members and others will
provide key support for our honors program and will foster
intellectual inquiry, which is central to Limestone’s mission.
In addition, our focus on the growth and development of the
Honors Program is a key part of that larger mission.” ■

RN-TO-BSN NURSING PROGRAM TO GET STARTED FALL 2019
imestone College’s new nursing plan is full-steam ahead.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
(SACS-COC), which is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting
higher education institutions in the Southern states, approved the College’s online
Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program proposal
earlier this year and classes will begin soon.
The accelerated online RN-BSN program is designed to empower students to take
on professional roles in nursing in a wide variety of settings. It will allow already
licensed nurses (RNs) to continue their education and complete their undergraduate
degrees.
For decades, the leaders in the field of nursing have encouraged Associate’s and
Diploma level nurses to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Research has proven that nurses with higher education experience improved job
satisfaction, improved patient outcomes, resulted in fewer medication errors,
and decreased mortality rates.
Within the last few years, the push to hire Bachelor’s educated registered nurses
has gained momentum, and according to Dr. Amber Williams, Limestone is now
poised to meet that increasing need.
The new program will provide a flexible and affordable pathway for RNs to build
on previously acquired knowledge and experience to complete their undergraduate
education. Williams noted that the program has been designed in a manner so that
students are able to complete the program within two years.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to create a quality online program for
Limestone College,” Williams said. “Now that the program has been formally
approved, we can dive into building the online courses, marketing, and recruiting
students.”
In the Upstate of South Carolina, Williams noted that there is an urgent need for
nurses who hold BSN degrees. She said that Nursing has long been the number one
requested major in the area, and Limestone will be the only college in Cherokee
County with a RN-BSN program.
With a shortage across the nation, Williams said more nurses are needed in order
to comply with the influx of healthcare needs. Limestone will be able to produce
well-educated and equipped nurses to a society in need. BSN nurses are able to meet
the demands of a dynamic healthcare environment with competence in critical thinking, leadership management, professional communication, ethical decision making,
health promotion, cultural sensitivity, resourcefulness, scientific reasoning, and
knowledge application.
Beyond the upcoming RN-BSN program, Williams said future plans are for
Limestone to offer a traditional pre-licensure nursing program where students will be
able to complete the nursing curriculum throughout their four years at the College.
Williams has been a nurse for 18 years. Educated at the University of South
Carolina, she holds two baccalaureate degrees in Biology and Nursing, a Master of
Science in Nursing (MSN) as a family nurse practitioner, and a Doctor of Nursing
Practice (DNP) in Organizational Leadership. Before coming to Limestone, she
served as nurse faculty influencing many students and nurses, coordinated clinical
opportunities throughout the state, initiated successful distance and online programs,
and led the construction of a high-fidelity simulation lab. ■

LIMESTONE.EDU

15

Family and
friends were
at Case’s
bedside each
and every
step of the
way through
her various
brain cancer
procedures.

BY CHARLES WYATT

wenty-three minutes.
Late last year, that is the amount of time that separated life from death for Haley
Case.

She received multiple academic awards, including the NCAA Division II Athletic
Director’s Association Academic Achievement Awards in both her sports. During
her final semester, she represented Limestone at the annual Academy of Criminal
Justice Science’s Conference in Dallas with her presentation entitled “Females in the
Juvenile Justice System: Issues and Programs.”
After graduating from Limestone, Case went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from
the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte. She later passed the South Carolina Bar
Exam and is a licensed attorney in South Carolina. She started her career at Brown
Law, not far from her home in Gaffney.
All was going as planned until December 30 when an undiagnosed brain tumor
nearly took it all away.
She now knows that had she been taken to the Emergency Room just twenty-three
minutes later, she would not be here to tell her story of hope, dedication, and faith.
After graduating from Limestone, Case went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from
the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte. She later passed the South Carolina Bar
16

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

PHOTOS BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

A native of Vestal, New York, Case played both field hockey and tennis for the
Saints. She graduated cum laude in May of 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in History,
Pre-Law. She also minored in Criminal Justice.

Exam and is a licensed attorney in South Carolina. She started her career at Brown Law, not far
from her home in Gaffney.
“I didn’t come to Limestone to be a star athlete,”
she explained recently about her pilgrimage
south to attend college. “I did not choose Gaffney as my forever home when I came for my
official visit in the spring 2009 because it had a
metropolitan, fast-paced atmosphere. Instead, I
chose Limestone and Gaffney because as soon
as I opened the door of my dad’s car and stepped
onto the campus for the first time, I felt at home.
I said to my dad that day, “I will go to school
here, and I will make my life in this town.’
“My father knew it was the truth because as
many former classmates and faculty members
know, I am someone who is guaranteed to do
what I say I am going to do,” she continued.
“Fast-forward 10 years, and I am still here. A lot
has changed since then.”
All was going as planned until December 30
when an undiagnosed brain tumor nearly took it
all away.
She now knows that had she been taken to the
Emergency Room just twenty-three minutes
later, she would not be here to tell her story of
hope, dedication, and faith.
Halfway through 2018, Case was losing weight,
and did not know why. By the time October
rolled around, she was unable to eat or drink
anything without becoming sick to her stomach.
She had no energy and was wrecked with physical pain. Numerous doctors’ visits and gastrological exams proved futile. She, nor anyone else,
knew why she was so ill.
On the night before New Year’s Eve, she finally
found out.
Her then boyfriend, now fiancé, Darin Williams,
also a Limestone alumni, rushed her to nearby
Mary Black Hospital at 9 p.m. on December
30. A Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT
scan) provided the answers to so many of Case’s
questions.
She had a mass in her brain.

With her prognosis and
her attitude both hopeful
following her battle with
brain cancer, Haley Case
isn’t about to waste what
she calls her second
chance at life.

“I was told that a neurosurgeon was on her way
to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and
would meet me there for an MRI,” Case said.
“When I arrived in Spartanburg, one of my
neurosurgeons, Dr. Christie Mina, was literally
pacing the floor as she waited for me outside my
room. I was immediately taken and prepped for
surgery to insert a ventricular brain drain.
“After that procedure, I felt like a million bucks
and I looked at Darin and said, “Well, okay. I
think I could run a marathon right now, and I
want spaghetti,” she continued. “When are we
allowed to go home?’ Only God knew the
LIMESTONE.EDU

17

severity of what was going on that night.”
Dr. Mina later told Case that when she received the
radiology report from the CAT scan, she instantly knew
Case had a build-up of cerebral spinal fluid in her brain
that would have killed her in as little as six hours if left
untreated.
Case came out of surgery at 2:47 a.m. – 23 minutes
before that six-hour death clock would have stopped
ticking.
Another neurosurgeon, Dr. Sunil Patel, removed a very
rare and cancerous ependymoma level 2 tumor from
Case’s brain stem at the Medical University of South
Carolina. Only about 1,100 people worldwide are
diagnosed with that type of tumor each year. Of all brain
tumors, that equates for 1.9 percent of diagnoses, with
the large majority of those being in pediatric cases. Such
tumors typically grow for at least five years before the
patient becomes symptomatic.
That means that Case’s tumor was already growing
when she was still a student at Limestone. “I will attribute my B-plus in Dr. Tom Thomson’s Russian History
class to that tumor,” Case said with a laugh.
“I will never be able to explain or quantify what it feels
like to have a second chance at life,” she noted. “I was
given this second chance at the age of 27 to finish what
I was put on this earth to do. I don’t care how much science and facts anyone throws at me. Nobody will ever be
able to explain or describe where my tumor came from.
Only the Man Upstairs knows because He created me,
and He knew before I even entered this world that He
had a purpose for me. And that purpose was to use my
brain to help others.
“Think about how many minutes a day you let pass
without even recognizing it,” she added. “Before this
happened, I had let 23 minutes slide by day-after-day
without a second thought. Now, I try to treasure every
second. And that’s good advice for everyone.”
Months after her surgery, Case has yet to cross the
finish line of her treatments, but she is still diligently
and bravely running the race. She recently completed
an arduous round of 30 proton radiation treatments
at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in
Atlanta.
Her prognosis and her attitude are both hopeful.
“I’m optimistic and excited about the future,” Case said.
“If my ordeal can be an inspiration to others, it’s been
worth every step of the journey. This has enabled me
to ask people what would they do if they were given a
chance to hit the restart button, too. What would they
do differently? Would they treat someone better? Be
more kind to others?
“My advice is not to think about what you would have
done differently,” she concluded. “Instead, start doing
something differently now, and be sure to listen – I
mean really listen.” ■

18

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Your Gift. Your Way. Your Impact on Limestone College Students.
Nearly 98% of Limestone’s students receive financial aid. The annual proceeds from an
endowed scholarship will help a student secure a strong academic career at Limestone.

Benefits:
•
•
•
•

Establishment of named scholarship; creation of your legacy
Invitation to annual scholarship recognition event
Name is listed in the Limestone Catalog under Special Scholarships
Students must qualify by standards established by the donor

Fund A Scholarship:

• An individual or group can establish an endowed scholarship with a minimum gift of
$20,000 that can be paid over a period of up to three years
• Fund an endowed scholarship with cash, securities, and real estate
• You can also create a future endowed scholarship through a planned gift
• Name an endowed scholarship in memory or honor of a person, class, or organization
For many donors, the best part of creating an endowed scholarship is the ability to meet each
recipient. These often develop into lifelong relationships with each new generation of Saints.
Limestone holds an annual celebration, providing a formal opportunity to meet your scholar.
For more information on scholarship programs, contact
Kelly Curtis, Vice President of Institutional Advancement:
864.785.7151 ext. 4601 or 864.488.4601
Email: kcurtis@limestone.edu

Jeriesha
Epps
20

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

For the Love of
“Limestone means everything to me. It saw value in me when I
didn’t see value in myself. Limestone has made it all possible.”
was born in Philadelphia, but as my
father was in the Air Force, we traveled
a lot and I grew up in Tampa. Like my
father, I am also a military veteran. I was a
Quartermaster in the United States Navy.
When I was in high school, I was a part of
the ROTC, but I never thought I would
go into the military after graduation. Even
though my father was a part of the Air
Force, he wanted me to go to college and
pursue a career in medicine, so I began
school at Anne Arundale Community
College in Maryland. A short time later, I
realized that college wasn’t for me at that
time in my life. I was not focused. My
parents and I had relocated to Florence to
take care of my grandmother, and within
four months after the move, I had joined
the Navy. Joining the military caught my
parents off-guard, but it was exactly what I
needed at the time. I gained the structure I
needed – the Navy shaped my choices and
molded me into the woman I became.
When I had my daughter at age 23, I
realized that life as a single, working
mother was not easy. I knew I needed to
leave the Navy, find a job, and go back to
school. In 2013, I exited the military and
started going to school at Florence-Darlington Technical College, and shortly
after became a work study for the Student Life Office at FDTC. From there,
I became an Early Alert Specialist at the
school, which proved to be challenging.
The switch from student to employee
was trying, but I eventually realized I still
wanted to finish my degree.
That is when my boss introduced me to
Limestone College. She was an Evening
Program student at the time and told me
all the wonderful things about Limestone

and that there was a campus right there in
Florence. One day during our lunch break,
we drove to Limestone and when I walked
through the doors, it was the calmest place
I think I’ve ever been in, because I felt at
home. I met with an advisor and she immediately embraced me and told me she
was excited that I was there.

I successfully transferred all my credits in
2015, and once all of them were accounted
for, I only needed 12 semester hours to
complete my associate’s degree at
Limestone. As soon as I graduated with
my two-year degree, I got started on
my bachelor’s. One of my professors, in
particular, went above and beyond to help
me find my footing. He taught me how
to study and to excel in my classes. That is
one of the advantages to a small
student-to-professor ratio. I was able
to get the one-on-one help I needed to
succeed.

paraphernalia and I was always pitching
the College to anyone sitting in the chair
across from me in my office. I talked about
Limestone to the students who came to
see me. They would always ask me what
they should do after they graduated from
tech, and I always told them, “You go to
Limestone.”
I am currently the Mid-State Representative for Corporate and Educational
Partnerships and I work at Limestone’s
Aiken, Columbia, and Florence sites so I
am always on the move. The great thing
about Limestone is that I can work, go to
school, and still have the flexibility I need
for a personal life. I have a seven-year-old
daughter and I am newly engaged.
Limestone gives me the ability to take
care of my home life while simultaneously
nourishing my work and school life.
Limestone encourages us to keep
furthering our education. I am two classes
away from earning my master’s degree in
Human Resources from Walden
University.
Limestone means everything to me. It
saw value in me when I didn’t see value in
myself. Because of Limestone, I haven’t
missed any of the special moments in my
daughter’s life. She is the whole reason I
work as hard as I do. Limestone has made
it all possible. ■

Once I started classes at Limestone, I
knew that was the place I wanted to not
only learn at, but also work. My office at
FDTC was full of Limestone
LIMESTONE.EDU

21

MIKE CERINO HONORED
AS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
OF THE YEAR BY ERNEST MEYERS
imestone College Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics
Mike Cerino has been recognized as one of 28 recipients
for the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year Award
presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of
Athletics (NACDA).
Cerino received the honor on June 11 at the James J. Corbett
Awards Luncheon held at the World Center Marriott Resort in
Orlando.
As part of NACDA’s 54th Annual Convention, Cerino was one
of four Division II athletic directors honored with the prestigious
award and he was one of 28 recipients from across seven divisions
recognized for their commitment and positive contributions to
student-athletes, campuses, and their communities. He was
nominated for the award by Conference Carolinas Commissioner
Dr. Alan Patterson.
“This is truly an honor and it is very humbling to even be
considered among my peers for such recognition,” said Cerino.
“By accepting this award, it is a true reflection of the vision, hard
work, and commitment that our coaches and staff put in each and
every day to give our student-athletes the best collegiate
experience possible during their time at Limestone College.”
22

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Cerino is currently in his 11th year at the helm of Limestone
College Athletics, a department that has undergone a dynamic
transformation that includes the addition of several new sports
and vast improvements and expansion of athletic facilities
through strategic fundraising efforts. He has also been committed
in growing the department’s staff to meet the needs of over 800
student-athletes.
“The Athletics Director of the Year Award acknowledges the
positive impact top athletics directors across all levels have had
at their respective institutions and the leadership they provide
to their student-athletes,” said Suzanne Williams, Under Armour’s Director of Collegiate Sports Marketing. “Under Armour
is proud to partner with NACDA to honor those individuals
who continue to excel and set the standard for leaders in college
athletics.”
Cerino, who currently sits on the NCAA Division II
Management Council, has taken a leadership role in facility
development through fundraising. Through various strategic
fundraising initiatives, Limestone has completed construction of
a 23,000-square foot Bob Campbell Field House, revamped the
Dave and Nancy Rilling Hall of Fame Room, completely renovated Founders FCU Stadium with a grandstand press box, and
lighting, and installed artificial turf and lighting at Saints Field.
In the department’s latest efforts, Cerino has overseen fundraising
and construction of the Cunning Victory Bell Tower, Shannon
Hamrick Park in front of Founders FCU Stadium, and he was
instrumental in securing a $4.1 million gift from Carolina
Panthers founder Jerry Richardson for the construction of the

Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex. This new complex features
permanent seating and pres box at Saints Field, community
gathering spots, an artificial turf practice field, campus connector
walkways, and a larger-than-life statue of Prevatte – an iconic
football coach and educator in the Gaffney community.
Already with one of the top athletic training departments in the
nation, Limestone Athletics has recently partnered with the
National Center for Performance Health to implement the Game
Changer resource – a revolutionary new program that
confidentially assists with mental health issues impacting
academic/athletic performance, relationships, and overall
happiness.
Community service and academic excellence has also been focal
points of the Saints Athletics Department. Limestone has been
very involved in the local community as student-athletes
volunteer their time and energy in programs such as Stop Hunger
Now, LC-Squared, the Carolina Miracle League, the Cherokee
County Boys and Girls Club, and much more in the local
community.

Academically, Limestone student-athletes have excelled in the
classroom with multiple Scholar and Academic All-Americans
over the past decade. Four student-athletes have combined to
win five NCAA Elite 90 Awards, an honor bestowed upon the
athlete with the top overall grade point average at a championship site.
The Saints have also been extremely competitive athletically
during Cerino’s tenure, winning five Conference Carolinas Joby
Hawn Cups during a six-year span, while also ranking in the
top 25 percent in the NACDA Learfield Sports Director Cup
standings nearly every season over the last decade.
Cerino is the first Athletics Director from a Conference
Carolinas institution to be selected for the Under Armour award.
He is also the first from a non-Peach Belt Conference school in
the Southeast Region to capture the award. ■

PLAYERS
OF THE
YEAR

LIMESTONE.EDU

23

KYLE PERRY TAKES THE REINS AS NEW
LIMESTONE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
BY CHARLES WYATT (Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.)
he Saints have turned to a Bobby Cremins protege to lead their men’s basketball team.
Former University of South Carolina Upstate head coach and longtime assistant Kyle Perry has been tabbed to oversee Limestone College’s program.
Perry, who spent nine seasons with the Spartans, including one year as the head coach, was introduced at a press
conference held inside the Legacy Lounge in the Timken Center on May 9. Perry is the eighth head men’s
basketball coach in program history.
During the 2018-2019 campaign, Perry served as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina Asheville.
He played for Coach Cremins at Georgia Tech, and later worked on his staff during Cremins’ tenure at the College
of Charleston. Considered by many a rising star in the coaching ranks, Perry has also learned his craft under the
mentorship of other legendary coaches such as Eddie Payne at USC Upstate, Tim Carter at South Carolina State,
and Dale Clayton at Carson-Newman.
“I am blessed that God opened the door for me to be the head basketball coach at Limestone College,” said Perry.
“I want to thank Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker and Coach Cerino for entrusting me to lead the men’s
basketball program, and I am looking forward to working hard for this great college.
“I am grateful for the opportunity,” he continued. “I cannot wait to get started. We are excited to be in Cherokee
County. We’re looking forward to not only winning games, but also building relationships in this community.”
Prior to going to UNC Asheville, he was at USC Upstate for nine seasons where he helped guide the
Spartans to the their first-ever wins over ACC and SEC opponents in South Carolina, Virginia Tech,
Georgia Tech, and Mississippi State. The Spartans reached the Atlantic Sun championship game
in 2015 and made three trips to the semifinals during Perry’s tenure.
He inherits a Limestone program that has experienced a lot of success over the past
decade, including a pair of Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championships, three
conference tournament titles, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and five 20-win
seasons. The Saints will compete in Conference Carolinas for one more season before
moving to the South Atlantic Conference in the 2020-21 season.
A Tennessee native, Perry has an extensive coaching background in addition to
his time at USC Upstate that includes two seasons as an assistant coach at South
Carolina State under Tim Carter.
He served as the Director of Basketball Operations under head coach Bobby
Cremins at the College of Charleston. During his time with the Cougars, he
helped recruit Andrew Goudelock, who finished his career as Charleston’s
all-time leading scorer en route to being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in
the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. Goudelock is still playing
professional basketball in Europe.
“I am really happy for Kyle and for Limestone as the Saints are getting a
tremendous coach and a even better person,” said Cremins, former head coach
at Appalachian State, Georgia Tech, and College of Charleston. “Kyle loves the
game, and is very excited about the opportunity to lead the Limestonebasketball
program. He understands what it takes to be a successful student-athlete and is
really focused on seeing his players succeed on the court and in the classroom.”
Before joining the College of Charleston, Perry spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University. He was promoted to Associate Head
Coach by head coach Dale Clayton prior to the 2005-06 season.
Perry launched his career as a graduate assistant under Jeff Lebo at Tennessee Tech
during the 2001-02 season. The Golden Eagles won 27 games, the Ohio Valley
Conference, and appeared in the 2002 National Invitation Tournament.
A three-year letterman for Cremins at Georgia Tech, Perry was a four-time
All-ACC Academic Honoree and a Hope Scholarship recipient from 1997-2001.
Perry earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia Tech in
2001. He earned his Master’s in Education from Tennessee Tech in 2002. ■
24

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

MEN’S LACROSSE SETS NATIONAL RECORD WITH
TWELFTH CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE
BY CHARLES WYATT (Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.)
year removed from missing the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in 18 years, the Limestone College
men’s lacrosse team made history in May with its record-breaking 12th National Championship game appearance.
The top-ranked Saints battled back with a third-quarter rally,
but defending champion Merrimack College pulled away in the
fourth to defeat Limestone 16-8 at the 2019 title contest played
at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Saints were
seeking their sixth national championship and their fourth under
head coach J.B. Clarke.
“This is a remarkable senior class. A year ago we were 11-8 and
didn’t make the tournament, lost our conference championship,
and really had some soul searching to do,” Clarke said after the
championship game defeat. “We leaned on these guys, the senior
class, for a direction, where they wanted to take it, and how they
wanted to fix it. When you lose the last game, you can lose sight
of all the great things that you did. Losing is a lot like grieving.
But in the end, I want to make sure our players have a clear
understanding of the impact they’ve had on the Limestone
lacrosse program, the community, and the school as a whole.”
Senior midfield Tyler Ponzio said this year’s squad adopted
the phrase “Restore The Order” as the players looked to
return the Saints to national prominence.
“The biggest thing is we started to hold guys accountable,”
Ponzio explained. “Our junior year kind of fell apart.
Over the summer, we made sure guys were sending
videos of them working out, making sure everybody
was on the same page. We trusted the process to
get back into the championship game. The guys
bought into what we wanted to do here, and I
think that was a big reason for part of our
success this year.”
Limestone finished 20-1 overall and
ranked No. 2 in the final United
States Intercollegiate Lacrosse
Association Division II Coaches’
Poll.
“This group of seniors was
so much fun to be around,
I really haven’t looked
forward much,” Clarke said
about his squad’s chances
to return to the title game
in 2020. “I did have a few
times on the bus (going to
Philadelphia) where I was
like, holy cow, we have four
All-Americans and they’re all
underclassmen. That looks great. But were are not

going to have guys like Tyler Ponzio and Brian Huyghue in the
locker room. They might not have been the best players in the
country, but no one played harder or did more for the program
than those two guys.
“Tyler has been with us since he was in eighth grade because
his older brother was a captain for us,” Clarke continued. “In
eighth grade, he was diagnosed with cancer. He fought and beat
cancer. He was in the locker room with us in 2014 when we won
the national championship. So he’s been around us a long time.
And Brian Huyghue is just a quiet guy that you would follow
anywhere. Guys like that are more important than just having a
bunch of First Team All-Americans. We’ve got to find more of
those types of guys. The talent is going to be there next season.
But talent alone does not always do it.” ■
LIMESTONE.EDU

25

FORMER USC ASSISTANT
COACH BRIAN TURK READY
TO LEAD LIMESTONE FOOTBALL IN 2019
new, albeit familiar face, will be
guiding Limestone College’s
football team as the Saints prepare to
take the field for their sixth season.
Brian Turk, who served as the interim
head coach for the final two games of
the 2018 campaign, was named the
head coach soon after, and he has hit
the ground running by adding several
new assistants and putting together a
solid recruiting class.
Turk served as the running backs coach
and recruiting coordinator for
Limestone in 2017, and was promoted
to offensive coordinator last season,
calling the plays for Limestone in all 10
games.
“Coach Turk has proven that he is
capable of moving the program in the
right direction,” said Limestone’s Vice
President for Intercollegiate

26

Athletics Mike Cerino. “He is a young
and energetic coach who already has a
solid recruiting background in South
Carolina, and I believe he is the perfect
coach to provide consistency and
stability with this program. He brings
a spirit of competitiveness to the team,
both on the field of play and in the
classroom.”
In his first season with the Saints, Turk
helped mentor running back Jerko’ya
Patton (Charlotte, North Carolina)
during his 2017 SAC Offensive
Freshman of the Year Campaign.
Patton guided a Limestone rushing
attack that averaged 133.3 yards per
game with 907 rushing yards as a
rookie.
Turk is taking over a program that went
winless in 2018, but he feels confident
the Saints learned some valuable life
lessons along the way.

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

BY CHARLES WYATT

“After the season, I told our players that
life is about so much more than
football,” Turk explained. “What our
seniors learned over the past four or
five years, what the players learned over
those last 10 games – the struggle and
the fight – that will just make them
better husbands, fathers, citizens, employees, and employers going forward.
You learn so much more from the
valleys than you do from the mountain
tops.
“We’ve got a great program,” he added.
“The kids are going to get a great
education and play some great football. We’re going to be aggressive in all
phases of the game. In football today,
teams that are trying to dictate the tempo and how the game is being played
are the most successful. Defensively,
we’re going to play fast, be physical, and
be great tacklers.”

Prior to his time at Limestone, Turk spent nine seasons at the
University of South Carolina where he worked his way up
through the ranks. He started as a student manager with the
Gamecocks, then became an offensive intern and quarterbacks
coach with Steve Spurrier, and eventually was named assistant
director of recruiting on Will Muschamp’s staff.
“Brian is a wonderful coach, an excellent mentor, and
a loving family man,” Spurrier said. “He was a big
part of our success at South Carolina. We had
some great seasons with him on staff and were
able to win a couple of big bowl games. Brian
will do tremendous things as the head football
coach at Limestone, and I wish him and the
football program all the best.”
Before helping South Carolina land back-to-back
top-20 recruiting classes, Turk spent four seasons as a
graduate assistant coach and offensive analyst on Spurrier’s staff.
He worked with the quarterbacks during this time, including
Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson.
“I’m really excited for Brian and his wife Kendra,” Shaw
noted. “They are incredible people. Brian was instrumental in
the success we had as a quarterback unit at USC. He has a broad
knowledge of the game, but the most impressive thing about him
is how he invests and believes in his players. He’ll be a
tremendous leader for the Limestone football program. The
Shaws are all now Saints fans.”

Overall during Turk’s tenure, South Carolina posted three
straight 11-win seasons – a first in program history – and he
coached in four straight New Year’s Day bowl games. Prior to his
time at Carolina, he was an assistant varsity football coach at Ben
Lippen High School in Columbia.
Turk graduated from the University of South Carolina
in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and
Entertainment Management.
“Brian did a fantastic job for us at South Carolina
during my first year, and he will make a great
head coach,” said current Gamecocks head coach
Will Muschamp. “Limestone College is very
fortunate to have him.”
Limestone will play an 11-game schedule in 2019
that will feature eight South Atlantic Conference
games and five home contests. The slate will also include
four NCAA Division II playoff teams from a year ago.
The Saints will start the season at the University of West
Alabama on Saturday, September 7, and then play their first
home game the following week against West Georgia. Visit
www.golimestonesaints.com for season ticket information. ■
(Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.)

LIMESTONE.EDU

27

AWARDS & HONORS

2018 Outstanding Alumni Award Winners.

2019

Outstanding
Alumni Awards

Four Limestone alumni were honored at a banquet in 2018 for their outstanding
achievements and their service to the College. Those recognized included Jessica (Jessie)
Mae Aguglia (Rock Solid Alumna of the Year), Frances (Fran) Jewell Bagwell (Alumna of the
Year), Bessie Horn Mayfield (Alumna Service Award), and Crosland (Crossie) McDowell Cox
(Golden Alumni Achievement Award).

Congratulations to Tierney Pugh Rollins ’02 on being named the 2019 Limestone Athletics Randy M. Hines
Alumni of the Year.
The Alumna/us of the Year Award was established in 1984, and was renamed the Randy M. Hines Alumni of the
Year Award in 2016. The criteria are: distinguished professional achievement, distinguished leadership, service
to Limestone College, service to the community, and loyalty to the ideals of Limestone College.
This special alumni award is presented annually by Randy M. Hines to an exceptional former student-athlete
who has proudly represented Limestone following their playing days. Hines currently serves as the Chairman
of the College’s Board of Trustees. A member of the Saints Athletics Hall of Fame, Hines recruited and coached
the men’s golf team that won the 1984 NAIA National Championship.
Tierney is a servant of Jesus Christ and currently works as a Certified Prevention Specialist with the Cherokee
County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CCCADA). She is also the Children’s Leader at Buffalo
Baptist Church in Blacksburg, South Carolina. Tierney is married to John Rollins.

Congratulations to the following recipients of the
Excellence in Teaching Award from the South
Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities
(SCICU): Dr. Jane G. Watkins (2019) and Dr. Cindy
Cavanaugh (2017). Dr. Cindy Cavanaugh was also
recognized as the 2018 Teacher of the Year in Higher
Education at the 91st annual South Carolina Alliance
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance (SCAHPERD) Conference.

During the 2019
National Association of
Social Workers-South
Carolina Chapter Annual
Symposium, Limestone
Associate Dean and
Director of Social Work
Development Jackie
Puckett was recognized as
the Social Work Educator
of the Year.

“Limestone is proud to welcome new and
returning Trustees,” said Limestone
President Dr. Darrell Parker. “We are
fortunate to have dedicated alumni and
friends of the College who are strongly committed to the institution and its
mission.”
Trustees who started their five-year service
on July 1 include:
Julius ( Jules)
J. Anderson, Jr.,
who resides in
Charleston, is the
Managing Member of Anderson
Insurance Associates, LLC.
A graduate of Limestone College who
has served two terms as a Trustee in the
past, Anderson is the past chairman of
the Independent Insurance Agents and
Brokers of South Carolina and has served
on several major insurance company
advisory boards. He has served on the S.C.
Department of Insurance Coastal Property
Task Force and is a past board member
of the Independent Insurance Agents of
America.
Paul W.
Fleming, a
resident of
Charlotte, is the
Owner/President of Prosource
Packaging, Inc. A
graduate of
Limestone, Fleming has served as a
member of the Flexible Packaging Association and as a member of the Institute
of Packaging Professionals. He has been
an Alumni Association Board Member
and a member of the President’s Advisory
Council at Limestone.

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

J. Brian
Honeycutt, who
resides in Spartanburg, is the Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer
for Gibbs International, Inc. A graduate of Limestone,
Honeycutt was a member of the United
States Air Force and served three tours of
Vietnam and is a retired Master Sergeant
with the North Carolina Air National
Guard. He is a former Board member for
the Cherokee County YMCA and he is a
member of the Air Force Sergeant
Association and Vietnam Veterans
Association.
Dr. Anna A. Moss,
who resides in
Gaffney, is the
Chief Executive
Officer for Moss
Medical Institute
and Spa. She is also
a Member/CEO
of Gaffney Family Physicians/Carolina
Neuropathy Center. Moss completed her
Doctorate in Medicine Studies from the
University of Science, Art and Technology
in Tampa. She studied Doctorate Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina
and earned her undergraduate degree from
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She
is a member of the Cherokee County
Economic Development Board and has
also served on the Board of the
European-American Chamber of
Commerce Planning Committee.
Randall L.
Richardson, who
resides in Asheville,
is a Healthcare
Consultant. Most
recently, he was
the Director,
Healthcare Vertical
Market, for Honeywell International.
Prior to being recruited to Honeywell, he
co-founded Alpha Healthcare Solutions
(AHS). He earned a Bachelor’s degree in

AROUND CAMPUS

Business Administration from Montreat
College and is also a graduate from Duke
University’s Fuqua School of Business,
where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Richardson is serving
his second term on the Limestone Board of
Trustees.
Trustees who started their five-year terms in
July of 2018 included:
Stephen R.
Bryant, who resides
in Columbia,
started his career
in the Information
Technology industry with Policy
Management
Systems Corporation. In 1998, Bryant
co-founded and is currently the Chief
Executive Officer of SYSTEMTEC, Inc.,
an IT services firm based in Columbia.
Bryant, who has served on the Board of
Trustees twice before, received his
Bachelor’s degree from Limestone College.
His current and past board memberships
include South Carolina Independent
Colleges and Universities, TechServe
Alliance, Jubilee Academy and Palmetto
Health Cancer Centers.
Dr. Franklin L.
Foster, who resides
in Columbia, has
earned degrees
from Nova Southeastern University,
Converse College,
and Limestone.
He has served as the Superintendent of
the Colleton County School District since
2016, after serving as the Interim
Superintendent from 2014-2016. In the
past, he has served as the Executive
Director of Personnel and Employee
Quality for the Orangeburg Consolidated
School District 5, Principal of J.C. Lynch
Elementary School in Lake City, Principal
of Harbison West Elementary School in
Irmo, and Assistant Principal of Nursery
Road Elementary School in Irmo.

Dr. Michael P.
Hoenig, who
resides in
Spartanburg, is a
Partner at Carolina
Orthopaedic and
Neurosurgical
Associates
(CONA). He earned his Bachelor’s degree
from Wofford College and his Doctor of
Medicine degree from Emory University in
Atlanta. He is the athletic team physician
for Limestone College and is a member of
the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society
for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy
Association of North America.

Governor’s representative on the
Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness
and the South Carolina Native American
Advisory Committee.

Also in 2018,
Camille Denise
Hunter, a native
of Spartanburg
and Corporate
Accounting
Manager at J.M.
Smith Corporation, was named to the Board of Trustees
following the opening of an unexpired
term seat. She is a graduate of Converse
College who later enrolled at Limestone
to earn her Master of Business
Dr. Michelle Bedell Administration degree. Hunter has
Jolly, who lives in
worked for the Peace Center of PerformGaffney, owns and
ing Arts in Greenville, The Felters Group
operates Gaffney
of Roebuck, and as an accountant for
Dentistry alongBi-Lo, LLC, Spartanburg Water System,
side her husband
Lockwood Greene Engineering, and
Dr. Henry L. Jolly,
Siemens Energy and Automation.
Jr. She earned her
In 2018, J. Richard Baines and N. Eugene
Liberal Arts degree from Spartanburg
Moorhead were each given Senior Trustee
Methodist College and both her Bachelor’s
status. A year later, Carolyn H. Borders
degree in Dental Hygiene and Doctor of
and Vera J. Mitchell were bestowed the
Medicine in Dentistry degree from the
same honor. Ermeriti Trustees named in
Medical University of South Carolina. Dr.
2018 were Sara J. Eddins, J. Grady
Jolly is the first female dentist to serve on
Randolph, and John B. Travers. ■
the South Carolina State Board of
Dentistry and also serves on the Board of
Directors for the Village School of Gaffney.
In addition to the
new board
members last
year, Tommy H.
Windsor, Jr. was
elected in 2018 to
fill the unexpired
term of Dr. James
( Jim) Prevost, who resigned earlier that
year to become a full-time faculty member
at Limestone. Windsor, who serves as the
Director of Boards and Commissions for
the Office of South Carolina Governor
Henry McMaster, resides in Gilbert. A
graduate of Limestone, Windsor served
on the Board of Directors of the Central
Midlands Regional Transit Authority from
2003 to 2010 and currently serves as the
LIMESTONE.EDU

31

AROUND CAMPUS

Limestone Athletics To Make Historic Move To South Atlantic Conference In Fall Of 2020
classroom. At the same time, our bottom line
will be enhanced because our department will
not be spending as much on travel.”
Currently, as a member of Conference
Carolinas, Limestone travels to Barton
(Wilson, NC), Belmont Abbey (Belmont,
NC), Converse (Spartanburg), Emmanuel
(Franklin Springs, GA), Erskine (Due West,
SC), King (Bristol, TN), Lees-McRae (Banner
Elk, NC), University of Mount Olive (Mount
Olive, NC), North Greenville (Tigerville, SC),
and Southern Wesleyan (Central, SC).
With the SAC having a pedigree that includes
several national championships, Cerino said
his coaches are excited about the competition
level that the new league will provide.

Saints sports fans will likely be much more familiar with
Limestone College’s opponents starting in the fall of 2020.
It was announced in April that Limestone will depart
Conference Carolinas to join the South Atlantic Conference in
nearly all of its NCAA sanctioned sports starting with the
2020-2021 academic year. The Saints are currently associate
members of the SAC in football only.
The SAC is an NCAA Division II league that consists of teams
from South Carolina (Anderson, Coker, Newberry), North
Carolina (Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Queens University
of Charlotte, Wingate), Tennessee (Carson-Newman, Lincoln
Memorial, Tusculum), and Virginia (University of Virginia’s
College at Wise). The SAC will have nine football-playing
schools this fall.
Mike Cerino, Limestone’s Vice President for Intercollegiate
Athletics, said there are several reasons for the College to make
the move to the SAC, with familiarity with the member schools
being one of the most important. He also cited the geographic
location of the SAC member schools as another primary cause.
“We’re thrilled for our fans who will likely be much more
acquainted with our SAC opponents,” Cerino explained. “In
this area, Saints supporters certainly know names like Newberry,
Anderson, Catawba, Mars Hill and others. That will definitely
lead to even greater attendance at our games. Joining the SAC in
nearly all sports will also enable Limestone to create some true
rivalries that should get our student-athletes and our fans excited.
“From a travel perspective, the SAC is an excellent fit for us,” he
continued. “By reducing our travel times, it will also lessen the
amount of time that our student-athletes will miss in the
32

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

“The SAC is well-known as a very competitive
league and there will be good competition for
all of our teams,” he said. “We believe that
joining the SAC is the best opportunity for our student-athletes
and coaches to compete for NCAA Division II Championships.
The combination of the SAC geographic footprint and the institutional focus of the member schools offers each institution the
opportunity to enhance the student-athlete experience.”
Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker noted that the SAC’s
Strategic Plan lines up with Limestone’s overall mission. He said
the Strategic Plan’s academics and life skills center on goals of
promoting academic success of student-athletes, preparing student-athletes for life after college, and promoting student-athlete
health and well-being. He added that the conference also strives
to maintain a high level of institutional control and compliance,
ensure strong athletic competition, increase conference brand
awareness, support and enhance diversity, support and enhance
educational and career opportunities for female and/or ethnic
minority student-athletes, and more.
“This move will cultivate natural rivalries for our teams, and it
also aligns Limestone with schools that have similar
philosophies,” Parker explained. “With the SAC, we will be
competing against institutions that have the same priorities in
the academic success of the students. The competitive levels of
the schools we will be playing will closely match ours, and we
are located more closely to the other SAC members. All of that
equates to a better experience for our student-athletes. With the
SAC having a pedigree that includes several national
championships, our coaches are excited about the competition
level that the new league will provide.”
Limestone held dual membership in the NAIA and NCAA
Division II starting in 1991. The College moved exclusively to
Division II membership when it joined Conference Carolinas

AROUND CAMPUS

(known then as the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference)
during the 1998-99 academic year. With the lone Virginia school
in Longwood leaving, the league changed its name to Conference Carolinas in 2007. Since that time, the league now has one
school in both Tennessee and Georgia.
Prior to becoming dual members with the NCAA in 1991,
Limestone competed as a National Association of Intercollegiate
Athletics institution. The Saints won the NAIA National Golf
Championship in 1984.
Limestone has won 11 national championships (five team, six individual) since joining the NCAA Division II ranks. The Saints
Athletic Department has combined for 103 NCAA Tournament
appearances and five NCAA Elite 89/90 Awards. That award
is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative
grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the
NCAA’s championships.

well as men’s and women’s basketball, lacrosse, soccer, golf, tennis,
cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Field
hockey and men’s wrestling are technically part of the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas, which is a joint sponsorship venture
between the SAC and Conference Carolinas. As it now stands,
Limestone’s men’s volleyball, acrobatics & tumbling, and women’s wrestling teams will compete in non-SAC leagues. However,
the SAC could add more sponsored sports in the future.
The South Atlantic Conference is in its 43rd year of athletic
tradition and excellence. The SAC was founded in 1975, solely as
a football conference. Known as the SAC-8, it consisted of Carson-Newman College, Catawba College, Elon College, Gardner-Webb University, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Mars Hill College,
Newberry College, and Presbyterian College. The SAC became a
multi-sport conference in 1989. ■

The South Athletic Conference currently offers football, baseball,
softball, field hockey, women’s volleyball and men’s wrestling, as

Faculty Member’s Service Dog Now A Part Of Limestone Life
“Moose”
is on the
loose at
Limestone.

For people like Prevost with Parkinson’s
disease, service dogs can be trained to
perform a variety of helpful tasks, ranging
from daily assistance with routine activities to specialized support. Service dogs
Since late
can help with enhancing balance while
2018, Dr.
walking or using stairs and reducing the
James ( Jim)
risk of falls.
Prevost,
Assistant
“Moose,” a black lab and malinois mix, was
Professor in given to Prevost by Howard Young and his
Limestone wife, Lisa. Young is a close friend to the
College’s
Prevost family, and is a canine training ofAthletic
ficer in Shelby. Young knew a service dog
Training
could be beneficial to Prevost, so he and
Program,
the Shelby community presented Prevost
has had his service dog, “Moose,” with him with the rescue dog from Florida.
on campus at all times.
“Our community has been nothing short
Prevost said it didn’t take long for his four- of welcoming to ‘Moose,’” Prevost said.
legged friend to get accustomed to his daily “Everyone has loved getting to know him,
routine at the College. “Moose” has become and ‘Moose’ has enjoyed it as well.
a student favorite in Prevost’s classroom,
Limestone has been extremely underoffice, the cafeteria, and all across the cam- standing of my needs, and I am thankful
pus. Earlier this year, at the annual academic for their hospitality and readiness to help
awards ceremony, Prevost was surprised
whenever they can.”
when his name was called as the winner of
Prevost is currently assisting Limestone in
the Student Success Advocate Award, and
establishing its official service dog policy.
“Moose” proudly took the stage with him.

“Moose” is a registered service dog, and is
specifically being trained to assist Prevost
with any balance and mobility needs he
may have due to his health.
“It has been proven that having a service
dog improves motor responses, cognition, and heart health,” Prevost explained.
“‘Moose’ is here to help me, but I would
also like to use him as an opportunity to
teach others about service dogs and their
ability to assist those in need.”
For many people with Parkinson’s disease,
pets provide both companionship and
practical help with daily life. Plus, owning any dog, service or not, automatically
writes exercise into an owner’s schedule.
Research shows that regular exercise helps
many people with Parkinson’s disease
improve symptoms.
Prevost explained that while on campus
or out in the community, “Moose” will
always be by his side and on a leash. He
would like to invite anyone who wishes to
meet “Moose” to drop by his office located
at the Walt Griffin Physical Education
Center. ■

LIMESTONE.EDU

33

AROUND CAMPUS

Limestone Sport Management Students Take First Place In Case Study Competition
A group of Limestone College students won a first place award
earlier this year at the College Sport Research Institute
Conference hosted by the University of South Carolina.

na University, Drexel University, University of Colorado, Elon
University, Georgia State, and others, and came out on top. That
certainly demonstrates what quality research they provided.”

As part of the Case Study Competition at the conference in
Columbia on April 4, Limestone students Daniel Bland, Mallory
Gardner, and Lelia Stokes walked away with the first place
hardware in the undergraduate division. The group’s advisor was
Dr. Jaime Orejan, Associate Professor and
Chair of Sport Management at Limestone.

Also at the College Sport Research Institute Conference held at
USC, Orejan presented his report, “Recruiting and Marketing
the Student-Athlete at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”
Each year, the conference brings together
academic researchers, students, and industry
professionals to discuss pertinent research
findings and issues facing the college sport
industry. At the recent conference, there
were 12 academic presentations, including
that of Orejan.

Each team competing for the award
consisted of students who are currently
enrolled in undergraduate sport management/administration or closely related
programs with an emphasis in sport.
The case study focused on the 2017 Federal
Bureau of Investigation and the office of the
United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York arrests of
several individuals on corruption, bribery,
money laundering, and wire fraud charges
related to college basketball recruitment.
Each team was tasked with offering, during
a 15-minute presentation, recommendations
to address issues facing college basketball in the areas of eligibility, progress toward degree requirements, amateurism, retention of
agents, and recruiting guidelines.
“I cannot begin to express how excited I am for these students,”
Orejan said. “Our Sport Management Program has accomplished so much in a short time and we have some really quality
students participating. Limestone’s team faced competition from
such schools as the University of South Carolina, East Caroli-

Limestone Joins Athletics
Volunteer App Platform

During his presentation, Orejan explored the
importance of the recruitment and retention
of student-athletes to colleges and universities. He explained that these institutions rely
heavily on the enrolment of the student-athlete due to the need for tuition.
Orejan joined the Limestone College faculty
in 2018 and serves as Chair and Associate Professor of Sport Management. Previously, he has been
a professor of Sport Management at Elon University, Desales
University, Loras College, The University of Southern Mississippi, and Winston Salem State University. He has also taught in
the Online MBA in Sport Business at Saint Leo University and
Adelphi University. He earned a Ph.D. in Teaching and Sport
Management at the University of Southern Mississippi. For the
past few years, he has focused on the management and marketing of soccer in the United States. ■

NCAA institutions, is a free volunteer
management and tracking platform used to
calculate and document community service
Limestone
hours. It allows Limestone to connect
College recently
volunteers to meaningful experiences
joined hundreds of around Cherokee County and the Upstate,
other colleges and and enables the College to compete for
universities in the national recognition within Division II for
National Collethe students’ engagement in service work.
giate Athletic Association (NCAA) “Our student-athletes are not required to
complete community service hours, but
in using the community service mobile
they are greatly encouraged to do so,” said
application “Helper Helper” to track its
Curt Lamb, Limestone’s Assistant Athletic
teams’ volunteer hours.
Director for Sports Performance. “We are
Helper Helper, used by more than 1,000
proud of our student-athletes and the man34

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

ner in which they represent Limestone
within the Upstate. Helper Helper enables
them to see for themselves how great they
are doing individually and as a team in
regards to service hours. They are thankful
to the community for their support and
are eager to give back.”
Limestone’s student-athletes volunteer for
such causes as Rise Against Hunger, the
Carolina Miracle League, and Boys and
Girls Club of the Upstate, just to name a
few.
By using the app, athletes can track their
community service hours more quickly
and efficiently. It is also an easier way for

AROUND CAMPUS

Limestone College Online Program Continues To Be Nationally Ranked
Limestone College is a consistent front-runner in delivering quality
online degree programs and continues to be recognized as one of the
most valuable online institutions in South Carolina and across the nation.
The Community for Accredited Online Schools recently honored
Limestone’s innovative Online Program by placing it on its Top 14 list.
In addition, The Knowledge Review, an international education magazine,
named Limestone one of the nation’s most valuable online programs,
explaining that the College strives to provide quality distance learning
education to its students.
Limestone has recently been ranked as one of the 20 Best Online
Associate of Business Administration Degree Programs, the 100 Best
Online Colleges in the nation for 2018, and the 10 Best Online
Bachelor’s in Computer Programming Programs.
The Human Resources program at Limestone has been recognized nationally and statewide as one of the best Online Bachelors in
Human Resources Degrees by SuccessfulStudent.org. Limestone is No. 1 in South Carolina and No. 11 nationally. The HR degree
was also honored at No. 16 by TheBestSchools.org in its ranking of top online bachelor’s programs within the field.
The website TheBestColleges.org ranked Limestone as the sixth best online college in South Carolina. Limestone also made a pair of
rankings on BestDegreePrograms.org, including No. 11 in “Best Private School Online Bachelor’s in Psychology” and No. 25 in “Best
Private School Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice.” The Open Education Database placed Limestone No.16 on its list of top online
Computer Science programs.
The College’s online degree in Social Work gained recognition from three different organizations, with two of them, College Choice
and BestColleges.com, placing Limestone in the top 10 for “Best Online Social Work Bachelor’s Degrees” at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. BestMSNPrograms.com ranked Limestone No. 20 on its Social Work list. In addition, OnlineCoursereport.com placed the
College’s degree Social Work as the seventh best in the nation.
For two-year students, Limestone’s online associate degree was also acknowledged by SR Education Group, which placed the College
at No. 20 on its listing of “Best Online Associate’s Degrees.”
Many working adults have a goal to complete a college education, but juggling work and family can be a challenge. The Limestone
College Online & Evening Program provides the opportunity for working adults to further their education, work full-time, and be
there for their families. Courses are offered in eight-week terms with six terms per year. Students can take two courses each Term,
earning 36 semester hours in a year. ■

their coaches to keep track of the volunteer work their student-athletes are doing.
Helper Helper also records where users
are volunteering and the type of volunteer
work they are doing, whether it be civic,
faith based, environmental, etc. Using this
feature, student-athletes can reach out
to different types of community service
projects if they see they are focusing heavily
on one area of volunteer work. Coaches are
then able to log into the app and see where
their student-athletes have been during
their community service work.
Lamb explained that the hour tracking has
become a friendly competition between the

teams within the Athletic Department at
Limestone. The players are able to see the
other teams’ hours and strive to surpass
them. According to Helper Helper, the
men’s lacrosse team currently holds the
lead, completing over 500 of the 1,800
hours of community service accomplished
since July 1. Of the 100 athletes on the
team, 98 have volunteered in the community.
When it comes to percentage of player
participation, softball and men’s volleyball
currently lead the way at 100 percent.
The app also aids Limestone’s efforts to
win the President’s Cup, which is awarded

each year to the athletic program that best
supports the Division II model of balancing academic excellence, athletics achievement, and community engagement. Each
team is scored in five categories, including
education and school, quality of season,
athletic support, compliance, and
commitment to community service. By
adopting Helper Helper into their
process, the Saints can vastly improve their
community service hours, which further
enhances their chances of capturing the
President’s Cup. Previous winners have
included women’s lacrosse, men’s lacrosse,
men’s soccer, and field hockey. ■
LIMESTONE.EDU

35

ALUMNI NOTES

1950
John L. Payne (BA; Liberal Arts) is the
manager of Mission Petroleum located in
Houston, Texas. He lives a short distance
away in Humble, Texas with his wife,
Shelly. Together they have four children,
Scott, Nicole, Joshua, and Ashley.

1978

1999

Karen Lee Morrow (BA; Social Science)
is the Director of the Student Success
Center at Greenville Technical College.
She received her master’s in education
from Clemson University and currently
lives in Wellford, South Carolina.

William Forrest Criss (BA; Social
Studies Education) lives in Nashville,
Tennessee. She works as a Claims Specialist for Lyft and is married to Michele
Pribila. Allan Knick (BS; Business Administration) lives in Goose Creek, South
Carolina and works as a Life Coach with
Knick Consulting. His is married to Barbara Knick and received his MBA from
Charleston Southern University. He has
traveled to China, Dominican Republic, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, Ireland,
France, etc. Lee is involved in Church,
SCGOP-Berkeley County, Citizen
Advisor.

1964

1982

Montague “Monte” Lupo Herlong
Prater (BA; English) is a retired teacher
who formerly taught at Tulsa Community
College, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She
and her husband, Bob, have three children,
Deanne (56), Heidi (53), and Robert (57).

John Patterson Rountree (BA; Business) continued his education at UNCC
and lives with his wife, Leslie, in Greensboro, North Carolina. They have a daughter, Morgan (25).

1970

1984

Reverend Susanne Strickland Nazian
(BA; Religion and Philosophy) lives in
Chester, South Carolina. and works as an
Executive Director for CURES for Chester. She is married to Dr. Stanley J. Nazian
and has two children; Stephen and Joseph.
She received her M.Div. from Meadville
Lombard Theological School.

Larry Rochelle Sarratt (BS; Degree in
Business Administration) lives in Ashland,
VA and works as a Senior Public Services
Assistant at the Library of Congress. Larry was named Man of the Year, an award
given by MIKELA, Inc. He has traveled
to England and Iceland and is involved in
the Hanover Branch NAACP of Virginia
and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

1971

1988

Troy Whisenant Troy Lee (BA; Chemistry) is a former chemist at Duke Energy
Company (Charlotte, North Carolina) and
a retired chemistry professor who
received an award for Outstanding Chemistry Teaching. He resides with his wife,
Deborah Beasley Whisenant in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

Karla J. Trosper (BA; Business Administration) is the Human Resources Manager
at CSRA Regional Commission. She has
won several awards, including CHRM,
and ACHRM through Local Government Personnel Association. She plans on
retiring in 2019 and to settle down with
her husband, Brown, in Jackson, South
Carolina.

1972
Roger Joe McPherson (BS; Biology)
lives in Chesterfield, South Carolina and
is a retired Professor of Biology. He is
married to Sue McPherson and has one
child, Joe McPherson. Roger completed
his M.S. in Biology at UNCC and his
Ph.D in Evolutionary Ecology at the UAB.
Janice Hanvey Neely (BA; Elementary
Education) is a former psychotherapist
whom after graduating Limestone College,
received her master’s in clinical counseling.
She is now retired and lives in Bloomingdale, Georgia. She has an only child,
Gentry (39).
36

1998
Heather Jackson Clary (BA; Elementary Education) lives in Shelby, North Carolina and works as a teacher at Pinnacle
Classical Academy.

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

2002
Joseph Stierwalt (BA; Business
Administration) is a naval officer and
commander of the naval air of the United
States Navy. He lives with his wife, Suzanne in Norfolk, Virginia. They have two
children, Lainey (28), and Jillian (16).

2003
John William Farrell (BS; Business)
lives in Charleston works as an attorney
at Jensen & Farrell. He received his J.D.
from Michigan State University College
of Law and is a Managing Member of
Jensen & Farrell, LLC.

2005
Alexis Wright DuBose (BA; Business
Administration/Computer Programming)
is an AVP in Student Affairs. She lives
in Florence with her husband, Shane,
and their two children, Kristina (6), and
Kinzley (2).

2006
Raymone Eugene Gude (BA; History)
is an employee of the Michigan State
Police. He lives in Grand Ledge, Michigan with his wife, Jessica (Verran); along
with their two children, Lynn Marie (7),
and Logan Patrick (2). He is proud to
announce that on October 10-15 of 2018
he will be representing the United States

ALUMNI NOTES

at the Veteran World Championships that
will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He will
be competing in the Greco-Roman event
with the hope of beating his previous
record. Last time he competed in said
event, he was just shy of receiving the
Bronze Medal, placing 5th in the world.
Roy Walter Richardson (BS; Computer
Science) resides in Greenwood, South
Carolina and works as a Data Center
Manager with Fujifilm Holdings USA.
Roy is married to Donna Richardson and
completed a Masters of Computer Science from Capella University. Pamela D.
Williamson (BS; Management) resides
in Hickory, North Carolina and works as
a Human Resources Manager at Corning. She received her MBA from Liberty
University. Pamela is involved with Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Women in
Manufacturing, Corning Professional
Women’s Forum, SHRM.

2007
Kashori Sharee Davis (BA; Social
Work) is an auditor for the DDSN
(Department of Disabilities and Special
Needs) who currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina. Tyler Coy Smith
(BS; Business Administration) lives in
Mooresboro, North Carolina. He is a 7th
Grade Social Studies Teacher for Rutherfordton County Schools. He is married to
Stacie Smith and has two children,
Gabriel and Caeden. He received his
Masters degree secondary Social studies
from Converse College. Ashley Ann
Weisman (BA; Criminal Justice) lives
in Columbia, South Carolina and works
as State Livescan Training Coordinator
for South Carolina Law Enforcement
Division. She has one child Austin James
Smith (13). Carrie M. Wells (BS; Business Administration) is married to Albert
Wells III, lives in North Charleston,
South Carolina and is employed as a Carrier at the US Postal Service. She received
her Bachelors Degree In Biblical Studies
from Colorado Christian University. She
is involved with Royal Missionary Baptist
Church and is in Pursuit of a Career
Change in Biblical Studies.

2008
Cory Michael Dion (BA; Business
Management) is a teacher at Queen
Anne’s County Public Schools. He lives
in Chestertown, Maryland with his wife,
Sara. Wyannetta Renee Epps (BS;
General Business, Accounting & Management) lives in Kingstree, South Carolina
and is employed as an Accountant/Fiscal
Analyst II with USC SOM. She received
her MBA in 2011 from Webster University. Wyannetta has one child, Faith (17).
John Daniel Lail (BS; Business Administration) lives in Jefferson City, Tenessee.
He works as an Inside Sales Representative for Renold, Inc. He is married to
Kathy and has one child Morgan (29) and
three grandchildren; Shade (6) and twins
Emma and Molly (5 months). Christian
Lojelo Munn (BA; Business and Marketing) lives in Brazil and is the owner of
Munn Sports Management.

2009
Ruppert Glenn Baird (BA; Liberal Arts)
is an aircraft maintenance instructor who
resides in Lugoff, South Carolina. with
his wife, Darlene. In 2015 he was awarded
UAE Rugby Federation Volunteer of the
Year. Kedra S. F. Carter (BA; Criminal
Justice) is a program coordinator I, investigator for the SCDSS (South Carolina
Department of Social Services) OHAN
unit in region IV. She was formerly Kedra
S. Ford before her recent marriage to
Michael Carter on August 19, 2017. Sara
Alicia Ferguson (BA; Music) is currently
a chiropractic assistant at the Whatcom
chiropractic center in Bellingham, Washington. John Taylor Martin (BA; History) lives in South Jordan, Utah and works
as an Attorney with Get Air Sports. He
received his Juris Doctorate from George
Washington University Law School.

2012
Jared Scott Hilton (BA; Business Administration Management) is the manager
at Westinghouse Electric Company. He
is a certified project management Professional, or PMP. He lives in Catawba,

South Carolina with his wife, Lisa. Together they have three children, Brittany
(20), Brianna (20), and Alexa (17).

2013
Julie Cardona (BA; Business Management) is an operations and compliance
supervisor for Seibels. She lives in Leesville, South Carolina; with her husband,
Mike, and their two children, Sabrina
(21), and Daniel (14). Kevin Bryant Nix
(BA; Business Management/Business
Finance) is a maintenance supervisor involving the training, development, planning and scheduling of the central shop’s
operations for the Mitsubishi Polyester
Film. He lives in Anderson, South Carolina; with his wife, Suzanne, and children,
Corey (17), and Geoffrey (22).

2014
Sharon Denise Alexander (BA;
Liberal Arts) is a police officer for the
city of Columbia, South Carolina, where
she also currently lives. Hannah Bailey
Dixon (BA; Psychology) is a high school
outreach specialist for the Florence-Darlington Technical College. She lives
in Florence, South Carolina with her
husband, Jessie. Avis L. Moultrie (BS;
Business Admin/Computer Software)
resides in Ruffin, South Carolina. She is a
Day Program Asstistant/Data Entry with
Hampton County BDSN. Evella Nesmith (BA; Social Work) is an early interventionist for the Kid in Development
Service. She lives in Walterboro, South
Carolina with her child, Dominique
Moore (15). Annette Nuhrah Pendergraft (BS; Computer Science Web
Development) lives in Boiling Springs,
North Carolina and works as Post Acute
Services Assistant at Caromont Regional Medical Center. John Mclver
Watson (BA; Information Systems) is a
cyberspace operations technician for the
United States Air Force. He is a combat
veteran who was deployed to the Middle
East. He currently lives in Isle of Palms,
South Carolina.

LIMESTONE.EDU

37

ALUMNI NOTES

2015
Davilla Nicole McQueary (BA; Business Management) is currently employed
by DS Smith. She lives in Elgin, South
Carolina with her husband, Cornell, and
son, CJ, (2). Robert Lewis Wilson (BA;
English) he is an English professor at
Central Piedmont Community College.
He Currently lives in York, South Carolina and had received the Cum Laude
award.

2016
Terry S. Henderson, Jr. (BA; Business)
is an operations manager for ATI Specialty Materials. He lives in Tega Cay, South
Carolina with his wife, Carrie, and son,
Noah (8). Rita Jo Ogden (BA; Business
Admin/Accounting) resides in Elgin,
South Carolina. She is an Accountant
at CMC Lexington. Rita is married to
Howard and has a child, Tiffany Ogden
(32) and grandchild, Aniya Williams (5).
Rita is a member of Sigma Beta Delta
International Honor Society of Business
Administration / Cum Loude and was
recognized by “Who’s Who Among
Students in American Universities &
Colleges.”

2018
Lorene Michelle Hayes (BS; Healthcare Administration) lives in Anderson,
South Carolina. She works as a Manager
Revenue Cycle at Bon Secours Mercy
Health. Shamika Nicole Sims (BSW;
Social Work) lives in Simpsonville, South
Carolina and is employed as a Social
Worker with The Department of Social
Services.

July 21, 2018
March 1, 2019
July 23, 2018
December 8, 2018
September 23, 2018
June 8, 2018
October 31, 2017
December 15, 2017
June 5, 2019
February 18, 2018
July 5, 2018
June 10, 2018
October 25, 2018
May 12, 2018
December 10, 2017
January 15, 2018
June 16, 2018
November 1, 2017
September 5, 2017
June 3, 2019
May 21, 2019
September 25, 2017
June 15, 2018
October 30, 2017
January 3, 2018
December 15, 2018
February 4, 2018
October 29, 2019
October 9, 2018
June 18, 2018
May 12, 2019
October 18, 2017
January 7, 2019
May 23, 2019
January 11, 2019
May 5, 2018
April 9, 2018
January 24, 2019
June 7, 2019
April 3, 2018
March 2, 2018
May 20, 2018
May 22, 2019
March 2, 2019
January 1, 2018
February 20, 2019
August 5, 2018
January 4, 2018
January 22, 2019
July 20, 2018
January 29, 2018
April 27, 2018
March 13, 2019
October 17, 2017
May 15, 2019
March 19, 2018
May 1, 2018
December 24, 2018
August 7, 2018

t was a long and winding
journey though western
North Carolina and then the
Upstate of South Carolina
that finally brought together
Limestone College’s
President and one of its
members of the Board of
Trustees.
Whether student, faculty, or
staff, once at Limestone,
invariably a certain bonding
takes place. Cultures are
shared and background stories are told. That is precisely
what happened when the
paths of Dr. Darrell Parker
and Randall Richardson finally
intersected two years ago.
At the time, Parker had his
eyes set on becoming a college
President. Richardson was on
the Board of Trustees and a
member of Limestone’s
Presidential Search
Committee. It was during
40

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

one of their conversations
after Parker was hired that
they realized their unique
bond.
Richardson grew up in
Asheville. In the early
1970s, his grandparents
and cousin lived in the
neighboring town of
Weaverville – the same place
Parker grew up. During the
summer months, Richardson
would stay with his family in
Weaverville. But even though
there were only about 1,200
residents in the area, Richardson
and Parker never met during their
adolescent years.
“Funnily enough, Randall’s cousin
was my friend in the second grade,”
Parker said. “His cousin and I were
the same height, and back then, they
always put us in line from tallest to
shortest. He was always right beside
me in the back of the line. Little
did I know that my friend’s cousin,
Randall, would serve on the search

committee that would eventually bring me
to Limestone as its 22nd President.”
As Parker and Richardson grew up, they
branched away from their hometown roots.
Richardon is a graduate from Montreat
College, where he earned a bachelor’s
degree in Business Administration and a
graduate from Duke University – Fuqua
School of Business, where he received a
master’s degree in Business Administration in International Business, Trade, and
Commerce. He is a Fellow at The American College of Healthcare Executives.
He serves on the Board of Directors for
Crossnore School and Homes and is a
current Trustee for Limestone College. He
and his wife (Fanaye) have been married
for 33 years. They have two adult daughters
Lauren, a graduate from UNC-Chapel
Hill, and Candace, who is a graduate from
Columbia University.

Over the past decade or so, both Parker
and Richardson have held several other
titles. Richardson now serves as a Senior
Healthcare Consultant. Most recently,
he was the Director, Healthcare Vertical
Market, for Honeywell International responsible for the US and Canadian market.
Before he was recruited to Honeywell,
Richardson co-founded Alpha Healthcare Solutions (AHS) with two physician
partners. AHS’s offer operational guidance
and industry-specific decision modeling
and valuations to assess major transactions,
including acquisitions, divestitures, and
restructurings.

Prior to joining the team at AHS, he was
hired as the Vice President, Global Healthcare Solutions, for Lanco Global Systems
Inc., a global and publicly traded IT
Services Provider focusing on customers’
strategic initiatives and delivering customized solutions to maximize utility through
A short distance to the west, at the
the integration of patient care pathways,
University of North Carolina Asheville,
administrative, financial, and clinical
Parker earned his bachelor’s in Mathematsystems. He also spearheaded LGS’s
ics and Economics. Parker left the borders
global expansion into the Middle East and
of the Tar Heel state when he received
North Africa (MENA) markets. LGS’s
both his masters and doctoral degrees in
clients included Fortune 500 companies
Economics from Purdue University.
and government agencies. Parker served
“Dr. Parker and I are two small-town
for six years as the Dean and Professor
country guys who grew to value education,” of Economics for the Johnson College of
Richardson noted. “Eventually, higher edu- Business and Economics at the University
cation is what brought us together.”
of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg.
Until 2017, he had been serving since 2012
From 1995 until 2007, Richardson, a
as the Dean and Professor of Economics
recognized leader in healthcare, served in
for the College of Business at Western
progressive roles: Strategic Planning, and
Carolina University. Located in Cullowhee,
Clinical Operations – (Cardiology and
WCU is a Regional Public ComprehenPsychiatry) for Mission Health System an
sive University in the University of North
AA Bond-rated Health System. RichCarolina System.
ardson received “Special Congressional
Recognition” for Outstanding Community In 2013, Jeremy Yaekel, a Duke
Service and Healthcare Leadership and
University alum and previous Limestone
The NAACP President’s award for
Board member, recommended Richardson
Corporate Leadership in Diversity.
to serve as a Trustee at the College. In
his first term, Richardson served on the
For 16 years, beginning in 1985, Parker
executive, finance, and investment commitwas a professor of Economics at Winthrop
tees. He spearheaded the development for
University, where he founded and directed
the new Nursing program, which has since
the Winthrop Economic Development
been approved by the Southern Association
Center. From 2001 until 2006, Parker was
of Colleges and Schools Commission on
at Georgia Southern University where he
Colleges. During the last year of his initial
served in numerous positions, including
term, Richardson was appointed to the
Professor of Economics, Director of the
Presidential Search Committee where he
Center for Economic Education,
finally met Parker face-to-face.
Acting Associate Dean, and Director of the
School of Economic Development in the
“After several months, we had narrowed
College of Business Administration.
our national search to three finalists and I
still had no idea that Dr. Parker and I had

such a close history,” Richardson explained. “It amazes me that we were lucky
enough to find this small-town guy within
the large a sea of applicants. Darrell was
clearly meant to be at Limestone, and
it was meant for us to finally find each
other.”
Their North Carolina link was evident
right away.
“During the on-site interview process,
Randall was traveling so he interviewed
me over the phone,” Parker said. “We first
met in person during our interview at the
airport, but neither of us knew there was
a connection through our pasts. Randall
realized it first. I had been offered the job
and accepted, and it was at the first Board
meeting that it came up. He said to me,
‘I’ve just realized we have a deep
connection that may surprise you.’ And
then he started talking about Weaverville.”
“Where I grew up, you don’t learn what
you can’t do,” Parker continued. “You learn
the opposite – that anything is possible
and that the world is full of opportunities.
Randall had the same mindset that the
world was out there waiting for him to
explore. I do not think it matters
whether you are a big fish in a small pond
or a small fish in a big pond, I think what
matters most is finding which pond is
yours and thriving in it. Randall and I just
so happened to be swimming in the same
pond without even knowing it.”
Richardson was recently selected to serve
another term with the Trustees, which
means that his follow Board members,
Parker, the faculty, and the staff are all
working together to make Limestone the
best it can be.
“Dr. Parker and I have the same mindset
when it comes to Limestone,” Richardson
noted. “We both want to generate more
discussions surrounding the College.
Limestone is currently going through so
many changes and improvements, and we
are working to build Limestone’s brand.”
With Limestone currently in the midst of
its “Drive To University,” two small-town
guys from neighboring communities, who
didn’t even know one another until two
years ago, are currently behind the wheel
with their respective feet firmly on the
accelerator. ■

LIMESTONE.EDU

41

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

The post office charges Limestone College for each change of address returned
to us. Please help us eliminate unnecessary expenses by informing us of your new
address before you move. Parent, if your son or daughter no longer maintains a
permanent address at home, please notify the Limestone Office of Institutional
Advancement of the correct mailing address.
Call (800) 795-7151, extension 4602 or email AlumniOffice@Limestone.edu.